Orthopedic instrument for the detection of foot disorders



June 2, 1936. Q jw s 2,043,187

ORTHOPEDIC INSTRUMENT FOR THE DETECTION OF FOOT DISORDERS Filed Sept. 20, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flan/4w 20m INVENTOR' BY gm/1, flA QQ/MW g:

A TZORNE Y' June 2, 1936. 2,043,187

ORTHOPEDIC INSTRUMENT FOR THE DETECfi'ION OF FOOT DISORDERS C. OWENS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1954 ATTORNEY I Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES ORTHOPEDIC INSTRUMENT FOR THE DETECTION OF FOOT DISORDERS Charles Owens, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application September 20, 1934, Serial No. 744,855

11 Claims.

My invention has to do with orthopedics and more especially with the orthopedics of the foot and such spinal disorders as are commonly found in association with foot troubles.

The purpose of my invention is to provide means whereby the disorders that commonly occur in the foot, may be detected by the change such disorders bring about in the structure of the foot itself.

The foot is primarily a weight bearing structure with three main bearing points of contact, the heel is the main bearing point and sustains the greater portion of the body weight, perhaps of this weight. The great toe at its juncture with the first metatarsal is another of the main bearing points, While the little toe with its adjoining mate, at the juncture of their respective metatarsals, constitute the third bearing point.

Certain disorders of the foot, when they occur, are known to change the relation of the three bearing points of the foot to each other and it is on this change that my invention is dependent for its practical application.

There are three types of feet: straight or normal, outflare, i. e. a foot that will spread outwardly from straight when Weight is put upon it and inflare, i. e. that will expand inwardly when the body Weight is put upon it. Again, the os calcis or heel bone with its superimposed companion the astragalus, frequently become disarranged outwardly, this disarrangement being provided for by a disarrangement of one of the innominate bones of the pelvis at the spine, the source of the nerve supply to the foot, this spinal disorder interfering with the nerve supply to the foot, weakens the tissues of support to the foot which allows these bones to deviate outwardly.

Another factor of importance is that deviations of the bones of the foot change the relation of the foot to the leg itself at the ankle, as a consequence of this latter fact, the ankle bones, just above what is designated the ankle, affords a fixed point from which to gauge the deflections of the bones of the foot itself.

In my invention it is not the weight of the body that is depended upon to manifest the disorder but the relation of the bearing points of the foot to each other, simply the weight of the foot itself being sufiicient to manifest the deviation, while the leg itself, just above the ankle, is depended upon as a fixed point from which to locate the foot.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the instrument.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation with a portion broken away.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with a portion broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the bed piece and some associated parts.

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the locking means.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 with the parts in locked position.

Fig. 8 is a detail of the rest for the ball of the foot.

Fig. 9 is an under side view of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a detail of the rest for the heel of the foot.

Fig. 11 is an under side view of Fig. 11.

My invention consists of a base I, 6, Figs. 4

and 5 is a plate or bed piece upon which the working parts of my invention are assembled and when so assembled this plate 6 is fastened to the top of the base I, from the underside by suitable screws, screws not shown.

The detector plates 3, 3 support the forward part or ball of the foot while the detector plates 4, 4 support the heels.

It will be noted that plates 3, 3 are supported by bearings that will permit these plates to tilt freely in any direction i. e. longitudinally or laterally from a level plane by means of universal joints pivoted by means of pins 21, see Figs. 8 and 9, while plates 4, 4, tilt laterally only, from a level plane. See Figs. 10 and 11.

The disorder detector plates are controlled by notched or cammed bars 9 and Ill (see Figs. 4 to 7), there being two bars for plates 3, 3, and one for plates 4, 4, the notched or cammed surfaces of these bars as so disposed in their relation to each other and to their respective plates at their cam engaging positions, that any desired plate or plates can be locked or released, i. e. either one or both plates 3, 3 may be locked while plates 4, 4 are in locked position or plates 4, 4 may be locked or released while plates 3, 3 are locked or all four plates may be locked at the same time, by means of rocker arms ll, shaft l2 and dial knob I3, see Figs. 6 and 7. The spring l4 urges, detent l5 against the base part of knob l3 to hold the knob l3 in the position to which it is turned.

The bars 9 and I0 engage pins 25 in the upper end of rocker arms H, see Fig. 5. To eliminate the necessity for links between the arms II and Fig. 3 is a side view of my invention with part of the base cut away and part in section to show the tilting of the plates, the sliding movement of the heel plate mounting 1 and the contact points I8 passing through insulator l9 and wiring 20.

From this view it is seen that the detector plates 4, 4 are slidably mounted on a carrier member 1. This carrier member 1 provides for the shifting of the heel plates 4, 4 to accommodate a wide range of sizes of feet. The Ways for this sliding or carrier member are shown best in Fig. 4.

5 is an ankle locator, said locator being slidably mounted on rods l6. placed in position on the detectorplates 3, 3,. 4,.4, the curved portions of this locator are brought into engagement with the legs just above the ankle and serve to fix the feet in a definite relation to the plates. This locator may be in different forms such as a padded wedge which is slipped between the ankles to hold themapart with the feet in position on the plates.

Fig. 2 is anend view of my invention with a portion cut away to show the contacts and wiring connections to the cabinet. 2 is a cabinet supported by standard I! andhaving a glass front 26 upon which is imprinted the various disorders of the foot and the spinalv disorders associated' with such disorders, there being a light 2| back of each imprint, the said light being operated through. the wiring connections.

It will be noted, in the case of plates 3, 3 that the contact points are located near the ends of the plates at either corner. while the contact points of plate 4, 4 are mounted. on the carrier member I at the sides of these plates. The contact points are thus located in respect to plates 3, 3- in order to contact with their respective plates whether the plates tilt cornerways or endwise, thus insuring the detection of the disorder. 23 andM-indicate an electric switch.

From the foregoing it is apparent that in initially assembling the apparatus when once the contact. point associated with any given foot disorder, has-been determined, it becomes. a simple matter to: connect the wiring to the light behind the prop-er illustration and thus illuminate that particular disorder and in case. there is a pelvic disorder known to be associated with or producing such disorders, connect the wiring back of. this. illustration also. After the connections have thusbeen once. made, the apparatus. maybe used without further change.

Certain foot disorders that apatient may have, are manifest by a change in the relation of' the bearing points of the foot to each. other. This change in the. relation of the bearing points of the foot, in turn, determines the direction of tilt of the detector plate, when the plate is released and itis this tilt that is registered by the instrument.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. In an orthopedic foot disorder detector, a display having various foot disorders exhibited thereon, electrically controlled indicating means for designating said foot disorders independently of each other, foot plates upon which the feet may be. superimposed, said foot plates being tiltably mounted to respond to foot disorders, electrical contact points subject to closure by the tilting movement of said. foot plates, and electrical connectionsbetween said contact points and said indicating means for actuating theindicating means to designate. on said. display the foot dis- When the patients feet areorder associated with the tilting of the foot plates due to the foot disorder designated.

2. An orthopedic foot disorder detector according to claim 1 in which separate plates are provided for the heel portions and ball portions of the feet and said separate plates are individually tiltably mounted.

3. An orthopedic foot disorder detector according to claim 1 in which separate plates are provided for the heel portions and ball portions of the feet, the heel plates being tiltable only about an axis longitudinal of the foot, and the ball plates being universally tiltable.

4 An orthopedic foot disorder detector according. to claim 1 in which separate plates are provided for the heel portions and ball portions of the feet, and the heel plates are adjustable toward and away from the ball plates to accommodate feet of different lengths.

5. An orthopedic foot disorder detector according to claim 1 in which a support is provided to engage withtheankles and retainv them in position during tilting of the feet on the plates due to lesions.

6. An orthopedic foot disorder detector according to claim 1 inwhich said display carries indiciavisible upon illumination and said indicating means comprises electric lamps individual to each of said indicia.

7-. In an orthopedic foot disorder detector, a display having various foot disorders exhibited thereon, indicator means for designating said foot disorder-s independently of each other, foot plates upon which feet maybe superimposed, said foot plates being tiltably mounted to respond to foot disorders, and connections between said foot platesand said indicator means, saidconnections being: subject to the tilting movement of the foot plates for actuating said indicator means and designating the foot disorder associated with the tilting movementoi the foot plates, and releasable locking means-for locking said plates separately and jointly in fixed position against movement.

8. An orthopedic foot disorder detector according to claim '7 in which said locking means'comprises manually adjustable members movable. into supporting position beneath the plates.

9. An. instrument for giving diagnosticindications relating to foot-disorders, comprising a plate to receive a portion of the foot, and a mounting for the platev permitting the plate to assume a tilted position under. the tendency of the foot to turn as a result of a disorder, and means responsive to the tilting of. the plate to give an indication of. the position assumed by the plate under the influence of the foot.

10. An instrument for giving diagnostic indications relating, to footdisorders, comprising a plate to receive theheel portion of a foot and an adjacent plate to receive the ball portion of the (7 tudinalof the foot only and'the means for mounting the ball'plate permits universal tilting of the ball plate.

CHARLES OWENSL 

